Ice flake making machine



A. F. CONTO ICE FLAKE MAKING MACHINE May 18, 1965 2 Sheets-She'et 1Filed Feb. 7, 1962 INVENTOR. Ammo F'. Como ATTY.

May 18, 1965 A. F. CONTO & 5

ICE FLAKE MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mi. I

INVENTOR. ARMANDO F. CON-ro ATTY.

Unite tate &1831582 Patented May 18, 1965 3,183,682 ICE FLAKE MAKENGMACHHQE Armando F. Conte, Chicago, ill., assignor to Precz-KingCorporation, Chicago, iii., a Corporation of iiiinois Fed Feb. 7, 1%2,Ser. Ne. 171,770` 7 Ciaims. (Ci. 62-298) This application is acontinuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 76,394filed December 16, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to ice making and more particularly toimprovements in machines for making small pieces of ice suitable for usein drinks or the like.

It is known in the art to make ice by freezing water on the inside wallof a vertical cylinder and continuously scraping the ice from the insidevertical wall by means of a rotating screw or anger that has a pitchdiameter almost equal to the diameter of the cylinder. The rotatingscrew or anger raises the ice in the shape of a hollow cylindricalcolumn that has a helical cut or slot therethrough where the thread ofthe helix extends. This thread or cut in the vertically moving column ofice facilitates breaking of the column of ice into small pieces.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide anarrangement for further facilitating the breaking of the upwardly movingcolumn of ice at the top thereof. I have found that this can beaccomplished by using a screw conveyor having multiple thread screw. Onethread is of a maximum diameter as is required for scraping the ice fromthe interior wall of the cylinder. The remaining threads are of asmailer diameter but of the same pitch as the major diameter threadThese minor diameter helical threads thus form the upwardly movingcolumn of ice into helical strips each of a vertical height equal to thepitch of the helix divided by the number of threads. All of the stripsof ice are joined at their outer periphery by a column of ice and of aminimum thickness equal to the difierence between the inside diameter ofthe freezing cylinder and the outside diameter of those threads that areof a smaller diameter than that of the major thread. The inner threadsserve to form helically extending lines of weakness on the inside of theupwardly moving column or tube of ice. Such a vertically moving columnof ice is very easily broken into small particles as the column of icereaches any obstruction or its upper limit of travel, which is at thedischarge end of the ice forming cylinder.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing that forms a part thereof.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate like partsthroughout:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an ice making machine constructed inaccordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 -is a partial sectional View on an enlarged scale and taken alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and S are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 3-3,4--4 and 5-5 respectively of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper end of an ice makingmachine taken along the same line at which the section of FIG. 2 istaken, and showing a modified form of the present invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the ice nugget shaper shown inFIG. 6 and which forms part of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawingwhich illustrates preterred embcdiments of the present invention, Adesignates a machine for making ice and comprises a cylindrical tube 1which forms the side wall of a vertically extending cylindrical freezingchamber 2. surrounding the central portion of the tube 1 are evaporatorcoils 3 which extend over a substantial portion of the length of thetube 1 and terminate at inlet and outlet lines 4, 5 that are connectedto a conventional refrigeration compressor and condensor (not shown).The tube 1 and its evaporator coils 3 are located within a heatinsulating casing 6.

The upper end of the tube 1 has a 'shoulder 7 for receiving a fiangedtube-mounting ring 8, and the tubemounting ring 8 is soldered at 9 tothe tube 1. The mounting ring 8 is secured to a rigid plastic plate 10by a plurality of screw and nut assemblies 11 (FIG. 4). As seen in FIG.2, the plate 10 is Secured to a support 13 in any suitable manner, asfor instance, by bolt and nut assemblies 12. The support 13 may formpart of a base or stand upon which the entire machine A may be mounted.

Rotatably mounted within the tube 1 and coaxial therewith is an auger orscrew conveyor 14 which comprises a sleeve 15 having on its outerperiphery a multiple thread helical screw. One thread 16 is of a majordiameter and the remaining threads 17 (three in number) are of a smallerdiameter. The helical thread 16 extends above the top of the evaporatorcoils 3 and below the bottom thereof and is in close proximity to theinterior surface of the tube 1. The helical threads 17 are of the samepitch as the thread 16.

The sleeve 15 has a longitudinal bore 18 for receiving a coaxial driveshaft 19 which extends axially upwardly therethrough, The drive shaft 19is coupled to the driver of a power driven conventional speed reducer20. In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the driveshaft 19 and speed reducer 20 may be considered as ;one unit so that thedrive shaft 19 constitutes the output shaft of the speed reducer 20. Thespeed reducer 20 also has an input shaft 21 (FIG. 1) which may bedrivingly connected to an electric motor (not shown) either directly orthrough a belt and pull'eys. As best seen in FIG. 4, the housing of thespeed reducer 29 has a base flange 22 which has threaded holes 23, 23for receiving screws 24, 24 which secure the speed reducer Zt) to aplastic mounting plate 25 which rests upon the plate 10 and is securedthereto by a pair of bolt and nut assemblies 26, 26. The conveyor 14 -isthus suspended from the speed reducer and extends downwardly therefrominto the tube 1.

Reierring now to FIGS. 2 and 5, the drive shaft 19 is coupled to thesleeve 15 by a drive pin 28 that projects diametrally through the driveshaft 19 and through slots 27, 27 at the bottom of the sleeve 15. Thebottom of the sleeve 15' is turned down at 29 for receiving a cupshapedring 39 that retans the pin 23 in the slots 27, 27. Mounted on the driveshaft 19 directly below the ring 39 is a bushing 31 that is secured tothe drive shaft 19 by a cotter pin 32. If desired, the sleeve 15 anddrive shaft 19 may be secured together in the manner shown in myaforementioned copending application, Serial No. 76,394, filed December16, 1960, to which reference may be had.

The bushing 31 has a diametrally enlarged fiange 33 which forms ashoulder for receiving a lower hearing 35 that rotatably supports thelower end of the conveyor 14. The hearing 35 is formed on its peripherywith an axially extending slot 37 which receives an indentat'on 39formed in the tube 1 to limit or prevent turning of the-hearing 35. Aplurality of slots 37 may be provided for water inlet purposes. aSoldered or otherwiserigidly Secured to the lower end of the cylinder 1is a fitting 41 which is connected to a water inlet line 42. Water fromthe line 42 passes through the slot or slots 37 into the freezingchamber 2. A constant water level is maintained in the freezing chamber2 in a conventional manner, as by a float control valve, that levelbeing maintained slightly below the top of the coils 3.

Adjacent to its upper end, the cylinder 1 is cut away to form anice-discharge opening 43, that opens into a discharge chute 44.Referring to FIG. 3, a U-shaped sheet metal clamp 45 surrounds a portionof the cylinder or tube 1 behind the discharge opening 43 and hasflanges 46, 47. Companion flanges 48, 49 are formed on the inner end ofthe discharge chute 44, and screws St), 51 pass through the flanges 46,47, 48, 49 to hold the discharge chute 44 onto the tube 1.

The upper end of the helical thread 16 terminates sub stantially at theupper edge of the discharge opening 43, and the downwardly and outwardlypresented surface 52 on the upper end of the thread 16 constitutes ahelical abutment. When the sleeve 15 rotates, the surface 52 will passacross the discharge opening 43.

Directly above the sleeve' 15 is a bushing 53 which constitutes aclosure for the upper end of the cylinder 1. This bushing 53 has a bore55 for rotatably receiving the drive shaft 19 and serves as a hearingtherefc-r. The bushing 53 has a diametrally enlarged peripheral flange56 at its upper end which is drilled and tapped at a plurality of placesfor receiving a plurality of screws 57 that secure the bushing and themounting plate 25 together.

In use, water is'maintained at a desired level, just below the top ofthe evaporator coils 3. The water freezes against 'the inside surface ofthe cylinder 1. The input shaft 21 operates through the speed reducer todrive the shaft 19 which, in turn, rotates the screw 16 which scrapesthe ice from the tube wall and conveys it as a column of ice upwardlytoward the opening 43. The helical threads 17 assist in raising the ice.The ice will then be discharged into the chute 44 through the opening 43by the screw 16. It will be understood that the chute 44 conveys the iceto a suitable ice storage bin.

The column of ice that is moved upwardly by the screw conveyor 14 is ofa cylindrical outer shape and has an inside bore the shape of which is acounterpart of the' shape of the auger. The thread 16 extends to theperiphery of the upwardly moving column of ice and thereby forms ahelical slot in the ice column. The three helical threads 17 of theconveyor 14 form in eifect scallops on the interior surface of thecolumn of ice so that between successive turns of the helix 16, thecolumn is of re duced thickness at the three apices 17a of the threads17 and is of increased thickness along the four roots 1717. The movingcolumn of ice, when it reaches the region above the coils is, therefore,of the shape of four interengaged helical strips each of a pitch equalto the pitch of the screw and each of a Vertical thickness equal toone-fourth of the pitch of the screw and with the four helical strips ofice joined at their outer periphery by a thin outer strip of ice thatextends from the outside diameter of the ice column, which is the insidediameter of the cylinder 1, to the outside diameter 17:: of the helicalthread 17. Looking at it another way, the upwardly moving column of iceis in the form of a tube with a helical slot therethrough and with fourhelical grooves formed on the inner surface of the tube of ice whichweakens the tube of ice between successive turns of the helical groovethat extends through the thickness of the column of ice r parts mountedthereon, including the screw 14, may be lifted upwardly and bodilyremoved from the inside of the tube 1. The tube 1 together with theevaporator coil 3 and insulation 6 remain mounted on the support 13.Reassembly is accomplished by merely inserting the shaft 19 with allparts mounted thereon, as shown, into the tube 1 and theerafter securingthe tube plates 10, 25, together with the bolt and nut assemblies 26,26. In this reassembly the lower hearing 35 must first be properlyoriented, so that the groove 37 is in alignment with the indentation 39.The first time the shaft 19 rotates, the hearing 35 may also rotate in ashort arc until the indentation abuts one side of the slot 37, as shownin FIG. 5.

The shaft 19 is driven from above the tube 1. The bushing 53 andbearings within the speed reducer 20 are all above the water level inthe chamber 2. Furthermore, no fluid seal need be used across the lowerbearing 35. Therefore, the. use of water-tight packing or hearing sealsis eliminated.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of screw used in theapparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2. In this Construction the upper part of thescrew, illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, is separate from the lower part,whichlower part includes the helical thread 16 of FIG. 2 but lacks theintermediate threads 17 of FIG. 2. In this Construction the lower partof the auger, indicated at 66, terminates, at its upper end slightlybelow the lower edge of the discharge opening 43. This auger 60 iscylindrical in shape with an externally projecting helical thread 61thereon that is of a pitch and diameter the same as the thread 16 inFIG. 1. The lower sleeve or auger 60 is mounted at its lower end on thedrive shaft 19 in the same manner as is the. conveyor 14 of FIG. 2 towhich reference may be had. Resting on top of the auger 60 is a nuggetice shaper 63 that surrounds the shaft* 19 and is keyed thereto forrotation therewith as by a pin 65 that projects diametrically throughthe shaft 19 and into opposed slots 67, 68 formed in the upper end 69 ofthe nugget shaper 63. On its outer periphery the nugget shaper has amultiple screw thread, in this instance four in number, indicated at 72,73, 74, 75. These screws or helices are of the same pitch as the pitchof the helix 61 and they are uniformly spaced apart. They may extendthrough the major fraction of one turn. They are of an internal rootdiameter the same as that of the helices 17a, which is at least asgreat, and preferably greater, than the diameter of the auger 60 at theroot of the helix 61.

Rotation of the :drive shaft 19 causes the auger 60 to convey iceupwardly towards the rotating nugget shaper. The ice reaching the bottomof the auger shaper is of a shape and' cross section which is the shapeof the space between the cylinder. The cross sectional area of the fiatbottom 78 or" the nugget shaper 63 is greater than that of the top ofthe auger 60'. When the ice reaches the bottom of the nugget shaper 63,it is restricted to a smallercross sectional area, namely the area ofthe space between the tube 1 and the nugget shaper 63. This constriotionresults in compression of the upwardly moving tube of ice and results insqueezing of water therefrom. As the ice moves upwardly past the bottomof the nugget shaper, the nuggett shaper in effect forms helical grooveson the interior surface of the upwardly moving tube of ice, whichgrooves form lines of cleavage facilitating breaking of the upwardlymoving column of ice when the same passes upwardly below the bottom ofthe opening 43, as previously explained.

In compliance with 'the requirements of the patent statutes I haveherein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the inven'ton. Itis, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise construction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe principles of the invention. What is considered new and sought to besecured by Letters Patent is: i

l. In an ice making machine, means forming a cylindrical chamber withsaid means including a chamber side wall having an opening adjacent toone end thereof, means forming a water supply inlet to the chamber,refrigeration means for freezing the water on the inside surface of saidwall, a screw conveyor rotatably mounted within the chamber, the screwbeing in sufliciently close proximity to said inside surface to scrapeoti ice therefrom as the conveyor rotates and delivers a column of icetoward said opening, and auxilary thread means of the same pitch as thatof the screw and forming a plurality of helical lines of weakness in thecolumn to facilitate breaking thereof.

'2. In an ice making machine, means forming a chamber having a dischargeopening, means forming a water supply inlet to the chamber,refrigeration means surrounding the chamber for freezing 'the waterinside of the chamber, and a conveyor rotatable within the chamber andhaving a major helical screw thread for conveying a column of ice in thechamber toward said discharge opening, said conveyor also having atleast one minor helical screw thread of the same pitch as that of saidmajor screw thread and of a maximum diameter less than the maximumdiameter of the major thread and forming at least one helical line ofweakness in the column of ice between successive `turns of the majorscrew thread.

3. An ice making machine comprising a tube forming a wall of acylindrical chamber, said wall having an opening adjacent to one end ofthe chamber, means for supplying water to the chamber, refrigerationmeans surrounding the tube for freezing the water to the inside surfaceof the wall, a conveyor rotatably mounted within the chamber and beingcoaxial therewith, said conveyor having a shank with a helical screwthread in sufliciently close proximity to said wall to remove icetherefrom as the conveyor rotates and delivers a column of ice towardsaid opening, said conveyor shank also having at least one additionalhelical thread of approximately the same pitch as the thread and of amaximum diameter less than that of the first'mentioned thread andforming at least one line of weakness in the column of ice, and means atthe end of said conveyor serving repeatedly to break up the column ofice conveyed thereto prior to discharge of the ice through said opening.

4. An ice making machine comprising a tube having one end at a higherelevation than the other end, said tube forming a wall of a cylindricalchamber, means for supplying water to the chamber, refrigeration meanssurrounding the tube for freezing the water within the chamber, a screwrotatably mounted within the chamber for removing ice from the wall ofthe cylinder and delivering a column of ice upwardly, a nugget shaperabove and adjacent to the screw and being rotatable therewith, saidnugget shaper having on its outer surface at least one helical threadthat winds upwardly from the lower end of said nugget shaper andterminates below the upper end thereof.

5. An ice making machine comprising a tube having one end at a higherelevation than the other end, said tube forming a wall of a cylindricalchamber, means for supplying water to the chamber, refrigeration meanssurrounding the tube for freezing the water within the chamber, a screwrotatably mounted within the chamber for removing ice from the wall ofthe cylinder and delivering a column of ice upwardly, and a nuggetshaper above and adjacent to the screw and being rotatable therewith,said shaper having on its outer surface a plurality of threads each ofwhich winds upwardly from the lower end of said crusher and terminatesbelow the upper end thereof, the

- cross sectional area of the space between the lower end of the shaperand the tube wall being less than the cross sectional area of the spacebetween the tube wall and screw immediately below the shaper.

6. An ice making machine comprising a tube having one end at a higherelevation than the other end, said tube forming a wall of a cylindricalchamber, means for supplying water to the chamber, refrigeration meanssurrounding the tube for freezing the water within the chamber, a screwrotatably mounted within the chamber for removing ice from the wall ofthe cylinderand delivering a column of ice upwardly, a nugget shaperabove and adjacent to the screw and being rotatable therewith, saidshaper having on its outer surface at least one'helical thread thatcommences at the lower end of the breaker and is open thereat in adirection facing the screw, said thread terminating below the upper endof said breaker and formng a helical line of weakness in the column ofice to facilitate breaking thereof.

7. An ice making machine comprising a straight tube having an upperdischarge end and a lower end, means connected to the t-ube and formng awater supply inlet to the interior of the tube, refrigeration meanssurrounding the tube for freezing water inside of the tube, a conveyorrotatable within the tube and having a screw for removing ice from theinside surface of the tube and delivering said ice toward said dischargeend, said conveyor having a drive shaft extending outwardly of the upperend of the tube for operative connection to a source of power,releasable means above the screw for mounting the conveyor in assembledrelationship within the tube, bearing means for rotatably supporting thelower end of the conveyor, and cooperating means on the bearing meansand conveyor for removing the bearing means with the conveyor when themounting means is released and the conveyor is withdrawn through theupper end of the tube.

References Cited by the Examine' UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,137 3/26Johnson.

2,825,209 3/58 Nelson 62--354 2,877,632 3/ 59 Chaplik 62-354 2,902,8399/59 Marshall 62-354 X 2,962,878 12/60 Keller 62-320 3,034,317 5/62Schneider et al, 62--354 X 3,101,598 8/63 Ross 62-354 X ROBERT A.O'LEARY, Pr'mary Examner, MEYER PERLIN, Examner,

7. AN ICE MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A STRAIGHT TUBE HAVING AN UPPERDISCHARGE END AND A LOWER END, MEANS CONNECTED TO THE TUBE AND FORMING AWATER SUPPLY INLET TO THE INTERIOR OF THE TUBE, REFRIGERATION MEANSSURROUNDING THE TUBE FOR FREEZING WATER INSIDE OF THE TUBE, A CONVEYORROTATABLE WITHIN THE TUBE AND HAVING A SCREW FOR REMOVING ICE FROM THEINSIDE SURFACE OF THE TUBE AND DELIVERING SAID ICE TOWARD SAID DISCHARGEEND, SAID CONVEYOR HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE UPPEREND OF THE TUBE FOR OPERATIVE CONNECTION TO A SOURCE OF POWER,RELEASABLE MEANS ABOVE THE SCREW FOR MOUNTING THE CONVEYOR IN ASSEMBLEDRELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE TUBE, BEARING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING THELOWER END OF THE CONVEYOR, AND